United by their love of skateboarding, members of the Northwest Skate Collective (NWSC) gathered at Gruff Brewing Co. on April 10, to celebrate their plan to build a skate park. After years of looking for the perfect spot for skaters of all levels, the NWSC is working with the City of Bellingham (COB) to bring this vision to life, with plans to open the new park in spring 2027.
Bellingham’s first outdoor skatepark was built in 2001 on Puget Street, near Civic Field. What was once a utilized space has become a landscape of garbage and vandalism over the years.
“They used to do maintenance and take down the graffiti, but no one’s using it,” Keegan Brone, a NWSC member who grew up learning at the Puget Street Skate Park, said. Now when he visits, he thinks it’s less inspiring than it used to be.
“My friends and I used to say that it was built by jail inmates,” Brone said. “It just further highlights the need for a new skatepark.”
Nina Aguilar started skating at Puget Street when she was nine years old with the influence of her parents. She’s now a professional skateboarder who has participated in competitions around the world.
“The build is definitely not ideal for people who want to learn,” Aguilar said. “It’s just outdated.”
Aguilar believes that having a new skate park in Bellingham will help push new people to learn the sport and start competing, too.
“Bellingham just needs a brand-new, friendlier park,” Aguilar said. “There is nothing there at that park to help me progress.”
After decades of skating the same bowls, NWSC agreed that the current skatepark was no longer inclusive for all skill levels.
The new park will be built underneath the Roeder Avenue bridge on the Bellingham waterfront in spring 2027. NWSC had their eyes on the roofed spot for over 30 years because of its protection from the rain and sun, according to Zac Garza, founder of the NWSC.
In 2025, the COB bought the plot after NWSC had gotten in contact with Mike Hogan, public affairs administrator for the Port of Bellingham, according to Garza.
Grindline, the construction company chosen by NWSC, estimated construction costs at around $3 million. The City of Bellingham agreed to put $1.5 million towards the project, according to the COB website.
To fundraise the remaining $1.5 million, NWSC has received donations, state grants and hosted auctions at restaurants and breweries around Bellingham.
In the past, the organization has encouraged event attendees to participate in raffles while offering skate gear, artwork and NWSC merchandise.
“I wanna go to every place that wants to (fundraise) with us,” Garza said.
As of April 28, 2026, NWSC has raised $330,000 according to Garza. Fundraising events for the Waterfront Skate Park are open to the public and advertised on NWSC’s website and Instagram.
Julianna Quarto (she/her) is a third-year student studying visual journalism at Western. She is currently reporting for the city life beat at The Front. Outside of the newsroom, she can be found doing yoga, playing piano or guitar, or making beats on her computer. You can reach her at julianna.thefront@gmail.com.
